CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Some local police departments have suspended in-station fingerprinting because of the pandemic.
Both North Middleton Township and Silver Spring Township Police Departments in Cumberland County announced that they will no longer offer the service for now because it requires the person requesting the prints to come into the building and be in direct contact with others.
The prints are usually needed for background checks or clearances for volunteer work.
Not all police departments offer this kind of service, but many that do are putting it on hold until further notice because of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
"The only way to do it is for an officer or a member of our staff to be directly beside the person, holding their hand because they have to roll the fingers onto a piece of paper," Chief Chris Raubenstine of the Silver Spring Township Police Department said. "You're shoulder to shoulder with someone. It was a risk that just wasn't worth it to be quite honest."
Fingerprinting is still happening for arrests and other crimes, however, that is typically done at booking and not at your local police department.